Sound recording and reproducing machine.



H. H. BROWN.

souwo RECORDING AND REPRODUCING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, I912- RENEWED JAN. 29. 1917- 1,218,625. Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET lwrm'issss ZQMH/ 1 2 /5 '-m/ INVENTO/s /%W- BY mmwgimmomsrs H. H. BROWN.

SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

RENEWED MN 29. 1911.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, l9I2 Patented Mar. 13, 1-917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A u J 7W BY I v tug/M4 ATTORIIIt YS H. H. BROWN. SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

RENEWED JAII. 29. 1911.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I2, I912.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEE'I' 3- My ATTORNEYS the city, county,

HORACE H. BROWN, or NEW YORK, n. Y., Assmnon'or ONE-HALF 'ro eor'rrmnnrrnt,

or NEW YORK, n. Y.

SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUGING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

Application' filed July 12, 1912, Serial 110,708,952. Renewed January 29, 1917. Serial No. 145,311.

To all whom it may conoem; I Be it known that I, HORACE H. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 290 Third avenue in the borough of Bronx, 1n and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and. useful Improvements in Sound Recording and Reproducing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

.-This invention relates to sound recording machines and has for its object the devising of an attachment for use with machines of the disk-record type commonly in use whereby the machine may be used both for recording and reproducing records, it being necessary to first remove the sound box usually"employed to permit the application of the attachment.

The various other objects'.of the inven tion will be more fully set forth in the following description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention which consists in the new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Referring to the f accompanying draw-- in i Figure 1 is a plan view of a phonograph with the attachment applied and for reproducing.

Fig. 2 is a-side elevation of the complete contact with the record-disk.

' machine showing the styli positioned as in Fig. 1, and the box of the machine broken away.

' Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the attachment, showing a friction drive in sectional view, and showing other parts broken awa Fig moving thestyli toward the center of the record-disk, parts being shown broken away. Fig. 5. is a plan view of the sound box and coupling elbow with parts broken away, and the recorder stylus turned to inoperative position.

Fig. 6 is a plan view similar to Fig. 5 shown partly in section.

Fig. 7 is a'sideelevation partly in section and partly broken away of theparts-shown in Fig. 6, with the reproducing stylus in Fig. 8 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 7

. 4 is a side view of the mechanism 'for showing the recording stylus in contact with the record-disk, and Fig. 9 is a plan view, partly in section, of

distance beyondthe record. A bracket 5' projects from the side of the case 3 for supporting thereon a horn 6, through which the sound passes from the reproducing stylus when the machine is used as a reproducer. A tube 7 is in communication with the'horn 6 and is supported by the bra cket 5 through means of a swivel joint connection 8. This permits the tube to have a sw'ingir 3' movement in a eled end. I

A U shaped t be or crook neck 9 is conhorizontal plane about its swiv- I nected to the other end of the tube 7 by means ofthe swivel connection 10, thereby permitting the tube 9 to have a swinging movement at its outer end in a vertical plane. This end has a bayonet joint slot 11,-

which in the ordinary use of the machine serves to secure the reproducing sound box in detachable engagement, and which in the present instance affords means for securing the attachment to the tube 9.

The double swivel connections of the tubes 7 and 9 afford the required free movement of the styli necessary on account .of the irregularities in the revolving motion of the record-disk. The joint 8 also allows the styli to move to and from the center of the record-disk.

' The attachment comprises an L shaped tubular support 12. This is connected to the free end of the U shaped tube 9 and has a pin 13 for forming a bayonet joint with the slot 11 in the ordinary manner. The outer end of the support is suitably inclined upward to engage a sound receiving horn 14..

A tubular stylus retainer or sound box 15 is provided with a tubular branch 16 extending from the side thereof midway of its ends, for engaging it withln a transverse horizontal bore 17 formed in the support 12,

Within the two ends of the sound box 15 .are disposed the heads 20 and 21 carrying the styli 201 and 211 for producing and reproducing the records respectively. Theyare of ordinary and well known construction and further description is not deemed necessary here. They terminate'in stems 22 for engaging them with their respective ends of the sound box 15, and are suitably positioned .and secured therein by means of the pins 23 and set'screws 24. The tube 16 is provided with'an orifice 25 which affords communication between the heads 20 and 21 carrying the styli 201 and 211 and the receiving horn 14 and transmitting horn 6 respectively, accordingly as the sound box is rotated to bring the recording stylus 201, or the reproducing stylus 211 down upon the record-disk 4. The sound box is yieldingly held in either of its positions by means of a spring clip 26 suitably secured at one of its ends to the L shaped support 12 and having a projection 27 in its other end Which snaps in similar depressions formed in the 1 sound box support, when the latter is I brought to one or the other of its vertical positions.

A rack bar 28 is secured to the support 12 by means of the joint 29. This comprises a socket 30 in which the rounded end of the rack bar 28 is rotatably secured by means of the groove 31 formed therein and the screw 32 assed throu h the socket and 'en a 'inai P g n o a the groove. The socket is provided with a 'rearwardly extending lug 33, which is pivotally connected to the pair of lugs 34 projecting from the hub 35, pivotally secured by screw 36 to the support 12. This forms in effect a universal joint and permits the recording stylus to have the freedom of movement relative to the rack bar, which is necessary while the record is being made.

A vertical shaft 37 is detachably coupled with the shaft 2 by means of the resilient sleeye 38. The sleeve is secured to the shaft 37, and is longitudinally slit to embrace the shaft 2 with sufiicient force to couple the two shafts in driving engagement. A handle 39 terminates the shaft 37 and aids in connecting it with the shaft 2. The shaft 37 is provided with a worm 40 which engages with the worm gear 41 mounted within a casing 42 between the plates 43 and 44. The

- upper and lower walls of the casing are bored to receive the shaft 37 and the casing is retained in suitable rotatable position thereon by means of the groove 45 formed in the shaft and the pin 46 projecting through the easing into the groove.v

A plate 47 is suitably secured to the casing 42 along its lower edge, thereby leaving a space between it and the plate- 43. Within this space and secured upon the shaft with the worm gear 41 is a pinion 48, for engaging the rack bar .28. Thespace between the plates 43 and 47 isopened at both sides sing; top and therack barflis let fall within-1th space from the top to extend at eitl r'imd',

so that it may be easily engaged with or disengaged from the pinion 48'. A handlev 49, also serving as a weight, is'secured to the end of the rack barltior raising and lowering it, and for holding it uponathe pinion 48 and brought in engagement therewith.

The swivel joint 10 permits excessiveweight to be supported by the operating stylus, and to correct this, a plate 50 is se: cured to the end of the tube 7, preferably by.

providing it with a perforation for embracing the end of the swivel 10. A slit 52 is made in the plate opening into the perforation, and a screw 53 is screwed'into the plate across the slit for drawing it together to form a tight hold of the plate with the swivel 10. The plate is also provided with pins 54, which project therethrough and extend on either side of the tube 7 at a suitable distance from the swivel 10 to hold the plate from being moved when supporting itslo'ad. An arm 55 is suitably. formed for-securing it to the L shaped support 12 as by the screw SG-andfor passing'it behind the plate 50, where it terminates in a handle 57. An adjusting screw 58 passes through the arm 55 at the rear of the plate 50 and has its end directed to abut against the plate, thereby relieving the stylus of its load to a greater or less extent depending upon the adjust ment of the screw. 7

Figs. 2 and 3 show another way of per-- fecting a drive of the shaft 27. The sleeve 38 in this'case tightly fits within a heavy disk 59, which sets in central position upon the table 1 in frictional contact therewith.

To increase the friction a disk of felt 6001' other suitable material may be interposed between the table and disk. In this construction the record disk has a central per-. foration large enough to permit it to'pass over the disk 59, and all that is necessary when placing a disk upon the table or removing one therefrom is to remove the rack bar 28 from its gear 48. v

The operation of the machine is as follows:lVhen it is desired to make a record, the sleeve 38- is withdrawn from the shaft 2 with the aid of the handle and a blank disk 4 is placed upon table 1, the shaft 2 extending through an opening in "the disk. The sleeve 38 is then replaced upon the shaft 2. When the weighted disk 59 is employed, the sleeve 38 need not be removed. In this necessary to raise'the rack instance it is only and to place the bar 28 from the casing 42 blank disk 4 over the weighted disk 59. The a stylus support 15 is then turned to bring the recording stylus 201 upon the blank disk 4 at a suitable point near the circumference where the record is to begin. When the sound. box is turned to this position it is.

brought into communication with the receiving born 14 through the, orifice 25.-

With the stylus in this position the rack bar 28 is lowered within the casing and into ena record. The machine is then ready to be operated in the usual way. The relative speed of the disk 4 and rack bar 28is dependent upon the relative sizes of the worm- 40, gear 41 and gear 48. The relative sizes of these gears are such as to move the rack bar 28 and thereby the stylus 201 toward the center with'the required velocity to cut a tion with a pear of horns, of a unitary memspiral groove upon the disk having the desired pitch. center of the blank disk in the a'rcof a circle and the rack bar 28 is accordingly secured in link fashion to'the sound box support 12 and shaft 37 to allow for this movement'and at the same time to permit the drivingmechanism to properly operate.

After the record has been produced upon the disk it may be reproduced by turning the stylus support 15 to bring the reproduclng stylus 5211 upon the 'record, which turning, at the same time turns the orifice 25 thereby affording communication between-the stylus 211 and thehorn '6. The stylus is now placed in the groove formed upon the record at the beginning thereof, that is to say at the circumference of. the disk, and the machine operated as before. A

Although I have shown only one form )f mechanism embodying my invention, it is obvious that various changes within the skill of the mechanic may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, provided the means set forth in the following claims are employed. Having thus described my invention, I claim I 1. In a sound recording and reproducing machine of the disk record type, a tubular support, a sound receiving horn secured to one end of the support, a sound transmitting horn secured to the other end of the support, a sound box rotatably mounted in the support, a recording stylus secured in one end of the sound box,a reproducing stylus secured in the other end of the sound box, said sound box having an orifice adapted to afford communication between the interior of the sound box and the horns when the styli are turned to contact with the disk record, and

The stylus moves toward the.

means for moving the sound box across the disk. 7

2. In' a recording machine of the disk record type, a sound box supporting swinging arm, a longitudinally movable member for swinging the arm across the disk, operating 'means for the member, a universal joint connecting the member with the arm, and a rotatable joint connecting the member with the operating means to permit relative movement of the swinging arm and longitudinally movable member.

3. In a graphophone a tubularsupport having a pair of outlets, one adapted to lead to a reproducing horn and the other adapted to lead to a recording horn, and a sound box rotatably mounted in said sup port'and adapted to bring opposite ends thereof into operative engagement with a disk, said box. having an orifice positioned within the bore of said support adapted to control the communication between the engaged end of said box and one of saidoutlets.

4. In a disk graphophone the combinamentioned tube and having a leg :thereof free-to, move in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the disk, a support detachably connected to said movable leg and a sound box having oppositely disposed styli revolublyI mounted in said support whereby either stylus may be brought into operative relation to the disk.

6. In a graphophone, a hollow tubular spool shaped sound box mounted intermediate its-length for rotation, heads vextending parallel to each other removably positioned in opposite ends thereof and constituting the enlarged ends of the spool shaped sound box, styli carried by said heads, said sound box having an outlet in the side thereof directly open to both of said heads, and a tube communicating with said outlet and constituting an extension from the side of the sound box.

7. In a graphophone, a sound box having styli at opposite ends thereof, a tubular member communicating with said box in termediate the ends thereof, said member having a plurality of horn ou'tlets there-' from and means'forming a part of said box controlling said horn outlets.

8. Ina graphophone, a disk support, an actuating shaft for said support having a portion projecting above the same,v said shaft including a Worm portion dismountable from said projecting portion of the shaft to permit the positioning of a disk on said support, a sound box movable across said support and a rackand pinion connection between said box and Worm portion.

9. In a graph-ophone, an actuating shaft, a gear transmission housing removably hiounted on said shaft, a sound box and a named shaft with said rack and removable therewith.

11. In a graphophone, a turntable, a member held by its Weight in frictional contact with said turntable torrevolve with the same, said member adapted to have a record disk inserted over the same to rest on said turntable, a sound box movable relative to said disk and means connected to said member to actuate the sound box, said means being readily removed from the member to permit the positioning of the record disk.

This specification signed and witnessed this 8th day of July, A; D.,'1912.

- HORACE H. BROWN. Signed in the presence of S. C, YEATON, F. E. MANUEL. 

